Featured Filmmaker ~ Ed David

Zacuto recently caught up with Cinematographer Ed David. Here’s what he shared with us about his latest project:

“We shot using the CINE4 gamma setting on the camera with saturation down slightly; we used the Fluorescent matrix. In camera I turned up the blues to get a nice purple from the room. The secret of nice images at Martin’s factory was taking advantage of the cool old style fluorescents – lots of low angles. We used an Indie Dolly for the tracking shots. We had 2 days to get it all done – did it with just me, Galen, AC, and Galen’s girlfriend. Oh we had an intern the 2nd day who was nice. With the small crew we could move fast and cover a lot of ground.”

“Galen really wanted to capture the entire experience of how a suit gets made and I think we did. Almost all the lighting was natural. The Sony EX1 with the Letus Extreme performs so well in low-light. The Zacuto rod system is unbeatable amongst its peers. Its rugged durability helped me get the high angle and low angle shots I needed without the fear of Martin’s workshop, full of hazards and risks, getting in the way. The camera with the Letus35 Extreme is balanced so well with the rod system that it corrects the Sony EX1’s kind of awkward ergonomics. I would never do another shoot without my Zacuto gear. The interview was lit with one 4 ft 4 bank Kino. We went to give him a backlight but sometimes we didn’t need a backlight and it gives it a more casual feeling. Galen really wanted a cluttered office look and so we kind of cluttered his desk up a bit. The small Brooklyn location also made this perfect.”

“It was a great shoot – I only risked death four times by putting the camera as close as possible to the various blades throughout the factory. If I don’t risk death at least twice on a shoot I am not happy. The opening shot was Galen’s idea – shooting straight up at the cool ceiling. Or was it my idea? In the end and what I love about cinema is that it is completely collaborative.”

And here are a few words from Director Galen Summer about the project:

“I am very happy with how the piece turned out and proud of Ed’s work in particular. This was my first time using this camera, and the combination of the 35mm lenses and the low-light sensitivity really allowed us to capture the environment of the factory in a way that showed off the unique details and textures, and made for very appealing and naturalistic images. I hope others enjoy reading about our experiences with the gear.”

About the Author

Zacuto creates production grade, filmmaking camera accessories. Our gear is made entirely in the USA, designed by filmmakers for filmmakers. It comes with an unparalleled lifetime warranty and our world renowned customer service. Our focus on high-end electronic equipment and universal balanced rigs is the future of Zacuto and the industry. Our iconic red and black gear has a loyal fan base around the globe. From Hollywood cinematographers to indie filmmakers to event shooters, there is only one choice—Zacuto, the industry standard. Zacuto’s original designs free filmmakers to focus on innovation, inspiration, and creativity.